Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Matthew 27:35 Then they crucified Him,
Mark 15:24 And when they crucified Him,
Luke 23:33 there they crucified Him,
John 19:18 where they crucified Him,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? -- SIN SEEN FOR WHAT IT IS
Jesus Christ's crucifixion shows that we are wretched sinful beings. In fact, there is no law which can display the complete depravity of our natural state and the fullness of God's hatred of sin as well as the crucifixion of Christ. I have had people tell me that if they had been at Sinai with Moses they would not have trembled in fear. What utter foolishness! I have no desire to stand at the foot of that mountain when the earth shook with the Lord's just anger. But that is nothing compared to the full wrath of God that is seen when He separated Himself from His own Son for the sake of the sins that lay upon Him. At the cross of the Son of God we see the terrible reality of sin's evil -- for this is the only place where we see sin fully punished.
People love to quote 1 John 4:16, "God is love" as proof for all kinds of unscriptural ideas. "God would not really destroy people in hell just because they messed up." Oh really? LOOK at Christ on the cross. "God hates sin, not those who sin." Oh really? LOOK at the cross of Christ where God punished not just sin, but Him who bore the sin. "God loves all and never punishes any." Oh really? LOOK at the cross of Christ. If God refused to hear the cries of His own Son because of sin He was bearing which was not even originally His own, will He do any less for those who remain in their transgressions?
There are also those who would have God say, "I don't punish sin; sin is its own punishment." This idea is completely contrary to what the Bible says about the crucifixion. Was Jesus merely suffering the consequence of sin, feeling its natural outcome? Absolutely not. In the crucifixion God was actively punishing sin, even as Isaiah says "the PUNISHMENT that brought us peace was upon Him."
But that is not the conclusion of the matter, is it? Thank God that the Spirit has not recorded the account of Christ's crucifixion to condemn us, but to restore us to Himself. Yes, here the God who is love is in action and Isaiah sees it clearly: "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).
